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With nothing left to sell, this woman made a heartbreaking choice to afford her dog’s $4,000 life-saving cancer surgery

Despite reaching out to charities such as Dogs Trust, the Blue Cross, and Lord Whisky in Canterbury, none could offer financial assistance.

BY PAHUL NANRA

PUBLISHED 6 HOURS AGO

(L) Woman crying. (R) A pet dog at vet under going surgery. (Representative Cover Image Source: Getty Images | (L) Johner Images, (R) andresr)

With funds running out and time ticking, a pet owner, Sharon Carmichael, faced an impossible choice to save her beloved dog. Her eight-year-old Cockapoo, Evie, has mammary cancer and needs a full mammary strip removal to survive. Carmichael, from Horton Close in Birchington, revealed that without the surgery, Evie is unlikely to live past a year. Evie has been the center of Carmichael’s life for years, and the family is determined to do everything possible to give her a fighting chance despite limited resources. With help failing to come from anywhere, Carmichael made the painful decision to sell the one thing she cherished most, a sacrifice no one expected.

Sad woman sitting on a kitchen floor and looking at her dog. (Representative Image Source: Getty Images| Photo by Sjale) — Sad woman sitting on a kitchen floor and looking at her dog. (Representative Image Source: Getty Images | Photo by Sjale)

As reported by Kent Online on Monday, December 15, 2025, Carmichael and her partner, Chris Last, are both unable to work. Carmichael also suffers from epilepsy and severe mobility issues due to loss of cartilage in her knees. The estimated $4,000 cost of Evie’s life-saving operation is far beyond their means. In a desperate bid to fund the surgery, Carmichael put her engagement ring, purchased by her partner for approximately $670 a decade ago, on Facebook Marketplace for $270. She had previously also sold a small family heirloom, a ring from her grandmother, which sadly raised just $40. “It’s breaking my heart. We don’t have much we can sell worth any money beyond my engagement ring," she expressed. Despite reaching out to charities such as Dogs Trust, the Blue Cross, and Lord Whisky in Canterbury, none could offer financial assistance.

A woman wears her engagement ring to her left index finger. (Representative Image Source: Getty Images| Photo by Karl Tapales) — A woman wears her engagement ring to her left index finger. (Representative Image Source: Getty Images | Photo by Karl Tapales)

Carmichael has had Evie since 2017, and without insurance, the cost of treatment has been entirely out of reach. Scans and X-rays suggest Evie’s cancer was caught early, meaning the operation could allow her to live a healthy life, but urgency is critical. "Time is not with us, and the longer we wait for funding, the more risk the cancer will spread.” A GoFundMe page has also been created to help the couple save their beloved canine. “Evie is my main happiness. I can’t bear the thought that she may not be with us next Christmas,” she said. Carmichael expressed that Evie’s life is now in the hands of others and that the family is incredibly grateful for any contributions.

Vet checking ear of labradoddle during routine checkup. (Representative Image Source: Getty Images | Maskot)

Pet owners often go to extraordinary lengths to save their beloved furry companions, and this devotion extends even to young pet owners, as shown in another incident. Bryson Kliemann, an eight-year-old boy from Virginia, learned his dog Bruce was seriously sick and treatment was too costly. Determined to help, Bryson decided to sell his favorite Pokémon cards. He set up a small stall in his yard and sold the cards for $5 to $10 each. “His Pokémon cards are his most prized possession,” his mother said, adding that, “It makes me feel happy that everybody came together.” A GoFundMe page was also created later to allow others to contribute online. The response quickly grew beyond the neighborhood, allowing Bruce to receive care and the family to later help other pets in need. An employee from the Pokémon Company in Seattle contacted them and sent several packs of rare Pokémon cards.